by Otávio Rosso
A group of 25 Democratic members of the U.S. House of Representatives has sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, demanding clarification over the possible involvement of Donald Trump’s administration in the departure of Senator Flávio Bolsonaro from Brazil and his arrival in the United States.
Bolsonaro lost his presidential bid on Sunday, October 25, to President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
The lawmakers are seeking to determine whether U.S. diplomatic resources or immigration mechanisms were used to facilitate the exit of Bolsonaro from Brazil.
Bolsonaro left the country after a court ordered him to surrender his passports amid investigations into suspected money laundering and currency evasion.
Flavio Bolsonaro steps off a plane after arriving at Opa Locka Executive Airport in Miami, Florida on October 28, 2026. (Photo by Ricardo ARDUENGO / AFP via Getty Images)
According to information published by the newspaper O Globo this Friday, October 30, the congressional letter to Marco Rubio came after a report by The New York Times, which revealed that Jason Miller reportedly organized the private jet used by the senator to travel from Argentina to the United States, with a stopover in Ecuador. Miller is a White House communications official and ally of the Bolsonaro family.
Flávio Bolsonaro arrived in Miami on Wednesday, October 28, accompanied by his wife and daughters.
The letter from the U.S. lawmakers was sent to Marco Rubio on Thursday evening, October 29, and obtained by the U.S. news outlet Politico. The signatories include prominent members of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs. The initiative was led by California representative Sydney Kamlager-Dove and Nevada congresswoman Dina Titus.
The lawmakers are demanding information on the State Department’s role in granting a visa to Flávio Bolsonaro, and any communications held with other federal agencies. They also ask whether U.S. authorities were aware of the ongoing criminal investigations into the senator in Brazil.
“The American people and Congress have a legitimate oversight interest in understanding whether U.S. diplomatic and immigration resources were used to facilitate the travel of a foreign political figure under these circumstances,” the lawmakers wrote in the document.
In another passage, the Democrats highlighted the potential diplomatic implications of the episode for relations between Brazil and the United States.
“Transparency is particularly important where the reported events implicate a foreign judicial proceeding, sensitive bilateral relations, and the consistent application of U.S. immigration and diplomatic policies,” they wrote.
As of the publication of the original report, the U.S. State Department had not responded to press inquiries regarding the letter.
Trump Ally Allegedly Organized a Plane for Flávio Bolsonaro
Suspicion regarding the involvement of members of the U.S. administration gained traction after a New York Times report, published on Thursday, October 29, detailed Jason Miller’s participation in organizing the trip.
According to the newspaper, Eduardo Bolsonaro reached out to Miller as soon as his brother was ordered to surrender his passports. The order had been issued by Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes on Sunday, October 25, amid investigations into suspected money laundering and currency evasion.
The plan to get Flávio Bolsonaro out of Brazil was reportedly set in motion on Monday, October 26, after the senator became aware of the order to hand over his documents.
The private aircraft used for the international leg of the journey departed from Argentina, made a stop in Ecuador, and continued on to the United States. Miller’s role in organizing the flight is one of the factors that has fueled further questions regarding potential assistance from the Trump administration.
Beyond the circumstances of the trip, U.S. authorities are also reportedly considering the possibility of granting permanent residency to the Brazilian senator. A U.S. government source informed The New York Times that Flávio Bolsonaro is expected to apply for a “green card”, a document granting permanent residency in the country.
According to this official, the application could be fast tracked, under conditions similar to those granted to Eduardo Bolsonaro. The granting of this status, however, has not yet been officially confirmed.
Federal Police Investigate Escape Route and Potential Assistance from Business Figures
In Brazil, the Federal Police are working to reconstruct the route taken by Flávio Bolsonaro to leave the country following his defeat in Sunday’s presidential election, on October 25.
Investigators are seeking to clarify how the senator traveled from Brasília to the Foz do Iguaçu region in the state of Paraná, near the border with Argentina. While his subsequent international travel is known, there remain gaps about his movements prior to his arrival in the neighboring country.
One hypothesis being examined by the Federal Police is that Flávio may have traveled by land from Brasília to Foz do Iguaçu, a journey that would take approximately 20 hours.
Another possibility involves the use of a private aircraft, which may have departed from an airfield or a landing strip located on a rural property within the Federal District or its surrounding areas. Investigators are also considering the possibility that the senator combined both land and air travel.
One element under analysis is the movement of the motorcade typically used by Flávio Bolsonaro in Brasília. On Monday, October 26, at approximately 7:50 PM, the vehicles left the residential complex where the senator lives. As of the time of this report, there has been no confirmation as to who was inside the vehicles.
The Federal Police are also investigating whether business associates and political allies of the Bolsonaro family provided financial or logistical support to facilitate the senator’s departure.
Another line of inquiry explores the potential involvement of members of the Argentine government, led by President Javier Milei. This hypothesis remains under investigation.
Flávio Violates a Supreme Federal Court Order.
Flávio Bolsonaro’s departure occurred amidst a Federal Police inquiry into suspected money laundering involving the senator and lawyer Willer Tomaz, a friend of the Bolsonaro family who has been in the United States since August.
Alexandre de Moraes’ order to surrender passports had been issued as a precautionary measure within the scope of the investigations. Despite the judicial order, the senator left Brazil and arrived in Miami on Wednesday.
The Federal Police are investigating the circumstances of the trip precisely because Flávio left the country without complying with the requirement to hand over his documents. The senator, however, remains under investigation and is not formally classified by the police as a fugitive.
Trump Criticizes Brazilian Election and Acknowledges Contact with Lula
The controversy surrounding Flávio Bolsonaro’s arrival in the United States comes at a time of political tension following the Brazilian presidential election. When asked by journalists about the outcome of the race, U.S. President Donald Trump criticized the Brazilian electoral process, though he claimed he had not taken sides in the vote.
“I followed the elections. I didn’t take sides, but I saw what was happening in Brazil. It was a disgrace. The market said as much. Look at how the market reacted,” Trump said before departing for a campaign rally.
The U.S. President also claimed that he had not supported any candidate at the request of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Despite his criticism of the election, Trump responded that he would reach out to Lula to congratulate him on his victory.
Otávio Rosso is a reporter with Brasil 247. This article was originally published by Brasil 247. It has been translated by Panamerican Dispatch. You can read it in its original Portuguese here.